16 Sep Use Your College Essay to Make a Good Impression

There’s been much written about the importance of your college admission essay, or personal statement, over the years—it’s your time to stand out so be sure to use your college essay to make a good impression. It’s your chance to impression admissions officers and really stand out from other applicants. 

A well-crafted personal statement is just that. It’s not a 5-point persuasive essay, but an insight into you. Use the opportunity to answer the question being posted, tell a story, and offer your personal reflections. 

The person reading your essay will likely also be reading dozens, or hundreds, of others. Spend some time to think about what makes you unique and what makes you stand out. Focus on that one point for your personal statement. And while you may choose to write about a funny or embarrassing moment in your life, it’s often difficult to convey humor (and especially sarcasm) through writing. Save the jokes for another time. 

Once you’ve decided on a subject, begin your writing process early and go through multiple drafts. In this case, practice does make perfect and the more time you spend working on your essay the better it will become. 

When you’ve reached a point where you think your personal statement is complete, ask someone else to read it. Your family, an English teacher, or a professional from Accolade Financial will notice things which you may have overlooked. 

We can’t emphasize enough—grammar matters. Proofread your essay. And then proofread again. Then have someone new read it again. Rinse. Repeat. You want to stand out, but not because you missed an obvious typo. 

Your essay should reflect who you are and provide an admissions officer a meaningful story consistent with the other components of your application. The team at Accolade Financial has read countless personal statements over the years and would love to work with you on yours.